Cartagena

ABOUT

Cartagena is a city with more than 3.000 years of history. Each corner, street and square of the city offers travellers monumental examples of its splendorous historical past, of the civilizations that put in at its port.

HERITAGE

The visitor will also be able to enjoy the local gastronomy which, in the case of Cartagena, is special in that it is a port, but with the country right nearby. Both fresh and salted fish and seafoods, the very typical "caldero" - a type of fish stew served with rice and garlic - as well as meat and agricultural produce from its fertile inland, all washed down with local wines and accompanied by the traditional drinks of the area such as the asiatico coffee (coffee with condensed milk, cinnamon, lemon and whole coffee beans), which delight the palate of all those who come to find out about its traditional cuisine.

The Cartagena project, "Port of Cultures" is working to increase the city's tourist potential, by making accessibility easier and by enabling people with reduced mobility to enjoy its sightseeing resources to the full: a good example of this is the panoramic elevator which connects the Port with the Castle of the Conception; by improving the street signs in the city, by providing excellent transport for the tourist both by land and sea, and in short, by valuing and giving importance to the whole tourist experience for any visitor who arrives in the city.

Cartagena "Port of Cultures" is the perfect opportunity for this city to become an exceptional tourist destination: we are talking about a well-designed thematic area which enables its visitors to find out all about the invaluable cultural attractions which Cartagena possesses.

But Cartagena also adds the opportunity to do some rural tourism in some of its inland villages in the district. Quiet areas near natural spaces of environmental interest, ideal for getting closer to nature have the added boon of their proximity to the coast.

FESTIVITIES

This plethora of historical riches is not only a thing of the past: it is still present to this day in the local festivities and celebrations, the most significant of which are the Easter week celebrations and the Romans and Carthaginians festival. During Easter week the military precision of the penitents' marching, the lavish floral decoration of the thrones, and the richness of the costumes and embroidery, along with the never-ending rivalry that exists between the horse riders ("the californios") and their bitter and dangerous enemies (the "marrajos"), are characteristic in this day and age of the Cartagena processions and parades. With regard to the other important "fiesta", the month of September is the time of year in which thousands of Cartagena people dress up as Romans and Carthaginians in order to proudly commemorate the events which took place in the city during the course of the Second Punic War.

The city's festive delights is made complete with the "Mar de Musicas" (Sea of Music) festival, which is a festival of new and world music held during the month of July and which, in spite of its brief history, has achieved a unanimous recognition at both a national and international level.

CARTAGENA PUERTO DE CULTURAS

L'iniciative Carthagène, Port de Cultures, ouvre un grand éventail de possibilités permettant au visiteur de profiter du patrimoine et de la richesse culturelle de la ville: connaître ses origines à travers les restes de la Muraille punique, empreinte de la fondation de la cité par le carthaginois Asdrubal en l'an 227 av. J.C., et où se trouve un Centre d'Interprétation dans lequel les visteurs pourront avoir des informations concernant cette partie fondamentale de l'histoire et de l'archéologie locales. Le projet Carthagène, Port de Cultures travaille pour augmenter le potentiel touristique de la ville, tout en facilitant l'accès aux personnes dont la mobilité se trouve réduite afin qu'elles profitent des ressources touristiques. A citer ici l'ascenseur panoramique qui unira le Port au Château de la Conception, tout en améliorant les signalisations de la ville moyennant la dotation de transport touristique terrestre et maritime et, en définitive, avec la mise en valeur de l'offre complète dont dispose le voyageur qui arrive à la ville. Carthagène, Port de Cultures est l'occasion pour que la ville soit convertie en une destination touristique exceptionnelle, c'est-à-dire, une espace thématique préparé pour faire connaître à ses visiteurs la précieuse offre culturelle dont dispose Carthagène.